Man is what he hides
by Vampiratess
Summary: These are short scenes, starring Casey and Jason/Clint.
1. Not so smart casual 1

A/N: These are short scenes, starring Casey and Jason/ Clint. The plot is mine, all others belong to their authors. I have no beta, so please excuse me mistakes.

* * *

**Not so smart casual.**

When Casey's call ended again to Walsh's voicemail, she had enough. Whether Walsh had Beaumont in his bed or not, Casey sought out the key from her keychain and after opened the door she stepped into the dark diner.

"Walsh?" She called her partner in the diner's side, but when she received no reply, she passed the long table and was going to knock on the doorway of man's lodging, when she heard singing from the bathroom.

"Hey hey hey

It's a beautiful day and I can't stop

myself from smiling..."

Casey stood still and listened for a moment the man's gruff and mellow voice, which reiterated Michael Bubble's song.

"Walsh?" She finally cut in him, stepping behind the bathroom door.

"Mm?" Walsh asked over the voice of the shower and didn't sound surprised at all.

"Are you there alone?" Casey asked.

"Yes. You want to join in?"

An image of a naked Walsh in the shower filled Casey's mind, but she managed to laugh wryly: "Ha-ha. Funny man, you think you are," and she walked away from the door.

"The sergeant called. There is a body on Circle Line's pier. Patrol is waiting for us there. Coffee before going?" She suggested and tried to get in her thoughts something else than water dripping man's body.

"If that's all what you have to offer," Walsh replied.

"Yes, that's all," Casey said back and went to make coffee.

As the coffee maker made its role, Casey read the SMS, which had just come from her dressmaker.

"Your dress is ready," the short message said.

Casey sent a thank you - message to the dressmaker, and told him that she would pick up the dress during the next day. Then she poured a cup of coffee and shouted to Walsh who, judging by the voices had shifted out of the shower to get dressed: "Get weaving! Or do you want that case goes to someone else? Like Eddie Alvarez."

Walsh didn't answer to her anything, but after a while he came into the diner side, wearing dark, military-style clothing.

"Wow, a new outfit," Casey uttered, after she had for a while stared at Walsh's strange appearance. "But I don't think that's smart casual enough for our work."

"I'm not coming to work," Walsh replied shortly, took Casey's cup and drank it empty.

"Oh," Casey stated and leaned on the countertop, crossing her arms over her chest. "Then where are you going? Jason Bourne - theme party?" She guessed but got no answer, because the black SUV that drove in front of the diner took Walsh's attention.

"Friend of yours?" Casey asked hesitatingly.

"Yep. Got to go" Walsh replied and walked to the outdoor.

"Walsh," Casey said in a serious tone and as she saw her partner to stop, she continued: "Don't think you get from this so easily."

"No fear," Walsh answered and glanced at her, grinning in small ways. But then he became serious, urged Casey to be careful and stepped out the door.

"You too," Casey uttered, watching how her partner sat down in the car and drove away.


	2. Not so smart casual 2

Casey pushed the key into the lock and opened the door. She stepped into the shadowy lobby and kicked off the high heels of her feet. While walking through the living room to her bedroom, Casey put her hand to her neck and was about to open her dress neck strap, when she sensed that she wasn't alone in her apartment and she stopped.

Wide hem of the dress swung around Casey's legs when she turned to look behind her, and as she saw a dark figure sitting in one armchair, her heart jumped in the throat.

"Take it easy, that's just me," a low, calm voice said, and Casey gave a deep sigh because the voice belonged to Walsh, and it made the last few days of uncertainty to disappear.

But because the man's sudden departure had caused for her headache at work Casey covered her joy, and snapped: "With what right you have hacked into my home?"

"I didn't break into your home, but I asked the concierge to open the door," Walsh replied.

"He refused to even open the door to Davis, even though he knew we are a couple, so why would he have opened the door for you?" Casey snarled.

"Maybe Davis wasn't convincing enough?" Walsh thought quietly.

"Oh. And what convincing did you do then?"

"I showed him my badge," Walsh replied simply.

"That's all?" Casey asked suspicion in her voice.

"Yes. What? Are you thinking that I threatened him?!" Walsh asked, and sounded surprised, even disappointed.

"I don't know what to think!" Casey snapped. "My partner disappears for a week. And the only explanation that I get is that he left to consult with the FBI. Which is bullshit. Because that car you jumped in, it has nothing to do withthe FBI. The others at the station may indeed believe in that consulting fairy tale, but not me! So tell me something that I can believe!" Casey defended by yelling to Walsh.

There was a long and deep silence after Casey's shouting. So long, that Casey believed that she had gone too far and that she would be left without an explanation.

"I'm sorry," she said, to rectify the situation. "I ended up work with Alwarez, and then I have to put something like this on me because -"

"It suits you," Walsh interrupted her, by praising her dress.

"Oh," Casey uttered amazement Walsh's sudden courtesy. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Walsh said and smiled slightly, keeping his eyes on Casey. "And what comes to the concierge," he continued and smile fade away, "I didn't threaten him. And that FBI fairy tale," Walsh was silent for a while, but then kept on speaking, "officially, I assist them every now and then, but in practical terms I work for an organization. And before you ask the name of the organization; I can't tell you that. The less you know, the better," Walsh said and looked at Casey gravely with bloodshot eyes.

"All right then," Casey said, for the past year with Walsh had taught her to recognize when the man had said what he had to say.

"Good", Walsh said and stood up. The same, however, he stumbled and he had to rely on the back of a chair in order to stay afloat.

"Are you okay?" Casey asked and took steps towards Walsh.

"Yep", Walsh replied and breathed his eyes closed. "I just stood up too quickly."

Casey eyed her partner from a distance, ready to help him, but after a while he opened his eyes and started to walk towards the door. Casey followed him in silence but when Walsh grabbed the door handle, Casey called him. As Walsh looked at her, she said: "It's good to have you back."

"It's good to be back," Walsh replied, smiling lightly. "And I'm sorry about Alwarez."

"Nah, you're doing this month's paperwork, and we are even," Casey said with a grin.

"I will. Night."

"Night."


	3. Babysit 1

**Babysit**

* * *

The house, or rather a mansion, which courtyard Jason stopped the car, was yellow and full of windows. A wide staircase led to the front door of the house and the door had knocked instead of a door bell.

"Finally," Casey greeted Jason tautly, after opening the door, a little girl in her arms. "What took you so long?"

"Well, hello to you, too," Jason said to Casey cheerfully, and glanced at the woman's shabby appearance. Part of a woman's hair had escaped the ponytail, a red blouse had a white, wet the stain on its shoulder and the glance of the brown eyes was irritated.

"Hmp. Take Sally," Casey blurted and pushed the little girl in Jason's arms. "The rest of the rascals are waiting in the kitchen. Give them supper, I need to take care of the twins," she said, and headed for the stairs.

"But Casey ..." Jason was trying to say after her, but as Casey didn't even glanced behind, so Jason let her to be, and he turned his attention to the little girl his arms, who looked at him with large, brown eyes.

"Okay, then. Where is the kitchen, Sally?" He asked her gently.

And a small hand pointed to the left.

/

The faint, sleepy burp reached Casey's ear, and a small head pressed against her shoulder. She continued humming and stroking the back of the little one, until the baby's breathing settled down.

Casey walked to the twin's bed, put the boy down to his brother's side to sleep and stayed for a while watching the little boys. They looked beautiful, almost like angels with their curly, blond hair and round cheeks. But no matter how sweet babies, toddlers or kids were, Casey didn't want to children of her own. She just couldn't see herself as a mother, didn't hear her biological clock ticking and didn't believe at all, that the pregnancy would change her way of thinking, such as Davis foolishly had said. Good heavens that educated man could blurt something like that.

Another of the boys sighed gently and began to stir in his sleep. Casey moved away from the bed, and hoped to herself that the boy would continue to sleep on. And a moment later the boy was still asleep. So that Casey wouldn't disturb boys any more, she sneaked out of the room and closed the door behind her. Baby monitor at downstairs would tell her if the boys would wake up.

/

"What have you done to them?" Casey's surprised voice came from the kitchen door.

"How so?" Jason wondered and looking at Casey, he discovered that the woman seemed to be still a bit alert. As if she had assumed the children dancing on the tables.

"Well, they are sitting around the table like -" Casey said, but the oldest of the boys interrupted her.

"We're ready. Can we go to play now, Jason?"

"No, you can't. Your mother said no computer in the evening," Casey replied firmly to the boy.

"But Jason promised," the boy said, his forehead to wrinkle.

"And we won't tell our mother," the youngest tried to persuade Casey, and then he added cunningly: "As we won't tell our mother, that you said, that the police will come and arrest us if we aren't nicely."

Casey's expression was so upset that Jason had to bite his lip so as not to burst into laughter. But at the same, the shock expanded eyes narrowed and Casey snapped, "Now listen, you little brat- "

"Casey," Jason hurried to cut her off, and when she looked at him, he shook his head and said briefly: "Don't." Then he asked the boys to put their dishes in the dishwasher, and agreed with them half an hour of computer time.

"Thanks, Jason," the boys said, and when they had left, the deep silence descended to the kitchen.

_If the look could kill_, Jason thought as he poured hot water on the tea leaves and felt Casey's gaze on his back.

"What?" He asked in a calm voice, so that Sally wouldn't be frightened, and turned around.

"Do you know what you just did?" Casey replied annoyed. "Now they won't obey me, ever!"

"You don't have to yell and yes, they will," Jason replied patiently. "Just be less adult and more friend to them. But remember, that you are responsible for them. Always."

"What a child care manual do you think you are?" Casey snapped.

"Well", Jason said, "at least I got them to eat the evening meal and take the dishes in the dishwasher."

"Yes, by bribing them", Casey muttered.

"And you intimidated them to the police, so let be Casey", Jason urged.

"Fine. But if they can't sleep, so it's your problem", Casey nagged back.

"Yeah, yeah. Now sit down and drink this", Jason said and gave to Casey a cup of tea, hoping the drink would calm the woman.

"This is tea. I don't drink tea, I'm a coffee person", Casey whined.

"I know that, but now you'll drink that", Jason urged Casey and lifted the sleepy Sally out of the highchair. "It'll calm you."

"Calms me? I don't need to calm down. I'm not -" Sally's sob interrupted Casey's sentence, and under Jason's accuse gaze, Casey closed her mouth and took the cup in her hand.


	4. Bybysit 2

An hour later, the downstairs had quiet down. After the game time the boys had washed their teeth and went to beds without complaints. The twins slept still and Sally was also asleep, thanks to Walsh, who had taken care of the girl while Casey had drunk her tea.

At first, she had intended to pour tea to a sink, but the flavours of the drink have encouraged her to taste it and eventually she had drunk the cup empty. And as Walsh had come back to downstairs, tea had really calmed Casey's mind down.

Now Walsh was standing in front of the stove and quietly humming cooked scrambled eggs. And Casey's mind was miserable because of her own behavior.

_Walsh drove dozens miles at my request, and what was waiting for him here? Hungry children and an angry woman. And how he reacted to it? He didn't just step into the scene, but took over the situation. Just like caring the children of unknown would have been everyday life for him. Davis wouldn't have ever succeeded it,_ Casey thought and grimaced to the memory of her ex.

"Here you are," Walsh said and offered to Casey omelet on a plate.

Damn, Casey thought embarrassed by Walsh's act, but also unwilling to taste food, which probably would taste awful.

"Something wrong?" Walsh asked.

"No, I just...," Casey muttered and tried to put her thoughts into words. "Your trick with kids, it worked", she finally said.

"A carrot and stick," Walsh replied shortly and it took a moment to Casey to understand what the man meant with his words.

"Your father's advice?" She thought at loud.

"No. He preferred stick," Walsh corrected shortly, urged Casey to eat her food before it would cool down and began to clean up the desktop.

_Don't ask. Don't ask_, Casey told herself, but her curiosity won and she asked: "Do your parents also live in New York?"

There was a short silence before Walsh's impassive answer: "They are dead."

"Oh," Casey uttered and blinked her eyes confused.

Jason cleaned the cooker and waited for Casey's next question. But she surprised him and instead of questions she said brief condolences and began to eat her food. However, it took several minutes before Jason could believe that her partner had left his parents to peace, and he was able to relax.

"This was good. Thank you," Casey said and sounded pleased. "Why don't you do this kind of food in the cafeteria? You would earn something," she advised.

"I don't keep up the cafeteria for the money," Jason replied and sat down across from Casey.

"Really?" Casey replied sarcastically. "But why then?"

"It's a pastime", Jason answered.

"Pastime?" Casey laughed. "No Walsh," she continued, shaking her head. "Watching a game with your friends or going out and get drunk with them, that's pastime, you know...hot stuff."

Casey said the last word softly, in a low voice. And when Jason looked at her, there was a fiendish smile playing in her face.

"If I were you, I wouldn't continue beyond that," Jason warned her.

"Oh, come on big boy!" Casey uttered. "After all, it was just a little trick between colleagues. They strengthen the team spirit, or how did you say it. And besides, how many times have you been kidding with Alwarez? Did you think he wouldn't ever hit back?"

"No I didn't. In fact, I expected it, "Jason admitted.

"But you didn't believe him to come up with something like that," Casey commented on.

"Yep."

"Well, at least you're even now. His trick beat hands down yours," Casey said and stood up. "I'm going to watch Red. Want to join in?"


	5. Babysit 3

Still half asleep Casey stretched her limbs on the bed and felt her hand hitting a piece of paper. She picked it up and brought it to the front her eyes.

"Good morning, sleepyhead. We have already woken up and eat breakfast. You will find us in the yard," read the tag.

Once Walsh had already taken care of children's needs, so Casey decided to indulge in a peaceful awakening and she closed her eyes.

From the garden reached children's shouts and laughter, and if Casey understood children's scattered words correctly, so they taught something to her partner.

"You are so bad in this, Jason. You are worse than Aunt Casey!" Casey heard kids laughing and her attention woke up. She stood up out of bed and walked to the window.

The boys and Walsh stood on the lawn and they all had a bow in their hands. Saul, the older boy, had currently tuned his bow and the arrow thud to the center of the target so nicely that it couldn't be just luck.

Well, what a good thing that Saul has found a sport in which he is doing well, Casey thought, watching the boy's boisterous stepping to Walsh. And when Saul met the man they made a high five. Then they stepped aside, and Seth prepared to shoot. But Casey's gaze remained on Walsh.

They had been partners nearly two years now, and during that, between them had formed a bond unlike Casey hadn't previously encountered. In addition the work, it included random shared breakfasts, that Casey never ate the end, the movie nights, like yesterday evening, and firing exercises on the track. Their cooperation was easy, they had learned to know each other's limits and the trust between them was strong, despite the fact that Walsh was still full of secrets.

And just then Walsh turned his gaze from Seth right to the window where Casey stood. Just as he would have known exactly which window Casey was standing behind.

/

"Good morning, sister. We thought that you won't wake up before lunch. Coffee?" Her sister greeted Casey as she came to the terrace.

"Yes, please," Casey replied and sat next to her sister. "Why are you already at home? You were supposed to come until the afternoon."

"Celebrations ran out ahead of time, so we took a taxi and drove home," her sister told, looking the boys and Walsh. "So he is your partner," she continued. "Not bad, not at all. Little short, but he seems longer. Have you slept with him?"

Before answering Casey took a sip of coffee without being at all surprised by the question of his sister.

"Walsh is my partner. And partners don't share the bed."

"Well, if he were my partner..." Casey's sister's sentence remained unfinished as Walsh raised his bow. "Gosh, those arms", she muttered and got Casey to take a look at his partner.

Walsh stood like a statue in place and headed arrow towards the target. His bare arms were strained when they bent the bow and then the arrow shot out to flight.

"You got eight. Your best shot," Saul was shouting next to the target.

"Surely," his mother utter next to Casey and shook her head.

"What do mean by that?" Casey asked.

"If he were beginner, as he acts, the arrow's flight wouldn't be so stable," her sister replied.

"And how do you know that?" Casey wondered.

"You would know that too if you had listened to the teachers in the class."

"But why Walsh hits so badly then?" Casey asked.

"Heaven's sake with you. Because the kids, of course, my darling sister."

"Or he is just a beginner," Casey said, as the man's arrow flied over the target.

"You just don't understood," her sister sight.

"Yeah. I don't have a clue about anything," Casey said, and drew a ringing phone from her pocket. "Schraeger."

"It's Brown. I have a case for you two."

"Sorry Sarge, but no. We have a day off. Ask someone else."

"I can't do that. It is about A-one."

Casey grimaced when she heard the acronym, which meant that the case involved some high-ranking person.

"Fine, we are on our way. Where to?" Casey asked, and after receiving the address she closed the phone.

"Let me guess, work," her sister said.

"Yes."

"You won't stay for lunch, then."

"No, sorry. Some other day," Casey said, and after drinking her coffee off she walked over the boys.

"Aunt Casey," Saul greeted her. "Did you come to shoot with us, too?"

"No, I didn't," she answered shortly. "Walsh, Sarge called. He has classy in his hand."

"Great," Walsh sighed. "Sorry guys, but I have to go."

"Boring. Just when you start to learn," Saul crabbed.

"Say about it, but maybe you can teach me some other day," Walsh said and ruffled gently the boy's hair.

"Yes. When?" Saul asked eagerly.

"I don't know yet, but I keep it in mind. Bye guys"

"Bye Jason. Bye Aunt Casey."


	6. The Ball

**The Ball**

"Casey Schraeger."

Casey got goose bumps when she heard her mother's voice in the locker room.

"Mom! What the hell ?! You can't just step in here! People are changing their clothes here!"

"So what? I have seen plenty of naked people," her mother said, eyeing Casey's nearly naked body. "Have you gained weight?"

"No, I'm not!" Casey snapped and pulled a blouse covering for her upper body.

"You know how important it is for you to keep in good condition. Having small breasts -"

"Mother," Casey sighed, but her mother kept on talking: "Are you sure you don't want to take the implants? Dr. Leeds-"

"Mother!" Casey yelled, making her mother finally to close her mouth. "What do you want?"

"You don't have to yell, I'm not a criminal," her mother said, offended. "I came to see you because you didn't answer my call."

"I was in duty. I can't speak on the phone then. I was going to call you back," Casey explained.

"Yes. Like when?" Her mother asked, sarcastically.

"What do you want?" Casyy asked back.

"Miss. Gillian called", her mother answered.

Damn, Casey thought.

"Your dress is still in her boutique, and the ball are on Friday," her mother kept on speaking.

"I'm not going there," Casey muttered.

"What?! Of course you are going! I have been telling everyne that you have finally opened your eyes and realized the meaning of charity."

"They are ball and I don't have avec, so why to bother. I'll make a donation."

"If you hadn't left Da- "

"Don't you even start," Casey warned her mother and glared at her.

"Fine," her mother said and for a moment Casey believed that her mother would leave, but she didn't.

"Don't you really have anyone who would go with you?" She wondered. "How about your partner?"

"Walsh?!" Casey laughed "Hell will freeze before he wears a tuxedo. Beside he can't dance. And his girlfriend would be jealous."

"Oh. Shame," her mother said and sighed. "Well, I guess I'll go then. Bye."

"Bye."

When the door closed after Casey's mother, Casey sat down on the bench and sight.

She couldn't remember the last time she had been so excited about a charity ball. But this time the object had touched her, and because the women of the street, she had been ready to get dressed and put her toes in high heels, maybe even dance with Davis. But then one sentence had changed everything and the dress's destiny was to stay in the closet.

_"I'm love with someone else."_

"Hey partner", Walsh's voice called behind the row of lockers. "Are you descended?"

"What? Um, wait a Sec", Casey replied and pulled her jogging pants on.

"Okay", she said, and began to bind the trainers. But she tangled the strings as Walsh asked: "Why did your mother suggest to me to buy a tuxedo and learn to dance?"

"My mother?"

"Yes, your mother", Walsh confirmed.

"Shit. Agrh," Casey rasped out.

"What?"

"Nothing. Forget that," she said to Walsh and tried to sneak past the man, but he stepped in front of her.

"And why she also believes that I have a jealous girlfriend?" Walsh asked and didn't look happy at all.

"Fine," Casey sight and sat back to the bench. "I said to her so. She suggested that I should ask you to come with me to the ball and I tried to save the situation."

"What ball?"

"It doesn't matter. I'm gonna dela - "

"What. Ball?"

"The are Charity Event. The donations provide funding in women's health status. The women on the street go there," Casey explained.

"When?"

Casey looked at Walsh and seeing the seriousness of the man, she knew that she wouldn't win this debate. "Friday. Seven pm," she replied.

"When do I pick you up?"

"What about Beaumont? Isn't she coming home on Friday?" Casey tried.

"She won't be here until Saturday," Walsh said shortly and something flashed in his eyes. "So, when do I pick you up?"

"You won't give up?" Casey asked.

"Nope."

"Fine. Half past six," Casey said, and felt a little joy pulsating in her chest." The ball are in Hamilton's, we can walk there."

"Okay. Now, let your trainers on, we have jog to go."


End file.
